A Grade A Customary Court sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has adjourned for judgment a divorce suit brought before it by a woman, Leah, against her husband, Olalere, whom she accused of irresponsibility, constant battery and threat.
Leah stated that no marriage ceremony was held between her and Olalere and that he did not pay her bride price.
The plaintiff stated that the defendant neglected her and their child and left them to starve.
According to her, she and their child always looked malnourished.
Leah added that she and her husband fought almost every day because he was indifferent to their plight.
She stated that she moved about in their neighbourhood in shame because her husband was also in the habit of tearing her clothes to shreds and leaving her stark naked under the stare of neighbours and passers-by any time they fought.
The plaintiff said she moved out of his house with their only child when it was obvious that he would soon snuff life out of her.
The plaintiff explained that the defendant had insisted on having their child in his custody and had not ceased to threaten her.
Leah thus prayed the court to end their relationship and grant her custody of their child but make her husband responsible for his upkeep.
She further sought an order restraining him from threatening and interfering with her private life. Olalere was absent in court despite being served court summonses.
Leah, in her evidence, said: “My husband and I started living together shortly after we met. I moved into his house, and he did not meet my parents nor pay my bride price.
“I never enjoyed our marriage because my husband failed in his responsibility towards me and later our child.
“He never gave me feeding allowance and was not bothered about my welfare and that of our child. Our child and I always looked like a scarecrow because we were malnourished.
“My husband always got angry whenever I complained of his neglect of us, and he would beat me to a pulp.
“He not only beat me but would tear my clothes to shreds and leave me stark naked in the presence of our neighbours and passersby.
“I always moved around in our neighbourhood with my head bowed because of the way my husband humiliated me.
“I moved out of his house with our only child when I could no longer bear with his maltreatment of me.
“He has since refused that I had peace of mind.
“My husband now threatens to take our child from me.
“I plead that our marriage be dissolved and our child’s custody be granted to me.
“I further entreat the court to make my husband responsible for our child’s upkeep, giving feeding, education and health care a priority.
“I also request an order restricting him from threatening and interfering with my private life.”
The court president, Mrs S.M. Akintayo, adjourned the case and ordered that a fresh hearing notice be issued and served the defendant.
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